Basketball coaches now allowed to contact players over the summer

The National Association of Basketball Coaches has been pushing for the rule change the past few years and the NCAA will finally allow contact between D-I coaches and their players for eight hours a week during an eight-week period. Two of those hours can be spent in organized, on-court activities.

The extra 16 hours of practice mean a lot to our state’s Division I coaches. Nebraska coach Tim Miles told the Omaha World Herald, “I think it was a necessary and important change. It will give coaches more opportunities to connect with their players.” Creighton coach Greg McDermott believes the increase of players asking for transfers can be related to the restrictions placed on coaches and student-athletes during the summer months. “We have young people make a decision to attend a certain university, and then once they get to the summer, they can’t spend any time with their coaches,’’ McDermott said. “I’d argue the inability to develop relationships once you get to campus contributes to the high number of transfers we’re seeing.”